A study of the stereochemistry of the chiral cyclopropyl, vinyl, and tetrahedral radical intermediates, generated by the thermal decomposition of the precuursor t-butyl peresters. The effect of substituents (i.e. isonitrile) on the stability of the radical will be evaluated. On the basis of our work with copper cyclopropyl intermediates we have devised a synthesis of an unusual cyclopropyl analogue of an antibiotic containing the isonitrile moiety. The naturally occurring antibiotic, Xanthocillin-X, will also be synthesized. The general scope of the asymmetric syntheses using chiral solvated electrons will be investigated. Samples of the many unusual and novel intermediates will be submitted for screening to Drug Research and Development Chemotherapy, National Cancer Institute. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: R. Bruce Bands and H.M. Walborsky, Oxidative Coupling of Optically Active Vinylcopper Reagents. Stereospecific Generation of a Novel Dissymetric Conjugated Diene, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 98, 3732 (1976). M.P. Periasamy and H.M. Walborsky, The Configurational Stability of 1-Isocyano-2,2-diphenylcylopropyl Anion, J. Am. Chem. Soc., (In Press), 1976.